Hey, I am down to 271 pounds now, so that's 4 pounds in 4 days and overall 20 pounds in 2 months. It isn't a large loss, but it's a start. I would have never been able to lose any weight without my friend S. Thank you S! Umm, I just spent 3 hours in a diner, conversing with strangers, and drinking 9 mugs of coffee. I know that's a lot of coffee. I think I am going to go to the diner again tomorrow night. Maybe not though. Well, I'll post again in a few days. -Helena

I lived a pretty vehicle-dependent lifestyle up until recently when my car decided to crap out. It came down to getting it fixed (and spending money I really can't spend right now) or taking advantage of the two bus routes I live by.

So I decided to take the hard way out and start relying on public transportation... and I love it! I've never been motivated to exercise, even for just a 20 minute walk, but I'll tell you what, it definitely gets the lead out when you have no other way to get to and from work.

I am fortunate enough to work in a very pedestrian friendly town, so it's not a problem to walk 15 minutes from the bus stop to the place of my employment, and vice versa. In a day, I get my 30 minute walk in and then some when I take the bus. It's great!

I thought I had to be crazy at first, because it's December and I live in Michigan. The cold weather just keeps me from overheating. I'd rather be walking in the cold than in the summer heat!

So far, I think I've lost about 5 pounds. Considering I haven't been doing this for terribly long, that's a pretty awesome start. Yay!

2. How much are you wanting to lose and by when?The long term goal is 100 pounds by January of 2012. I'd love to get down to 150-180lbs, but 200 would be a great place to get to.

3. How long have you been overweight?Probably since fourth grade. I started to gain weight, and it never really stopped. I remember being 180lbs in seventh grade. That was embarrassing. So, I guess about twelve years at least.

4. What kind of methods of weight loss have you tried?I haven't tried a whole lot as I just recently got the bug up my rear to get on the ball due to health problems, wanting kids in the future, and starting new at a new university. I have a hard time sticking to things. The most effective change I made was in high school, I cut everything I ate in half. I was doing really well! Then, I had my wisdom teeth removed and my jaw wouldn't allow for a lot of eating room so I was stuck with heart shaped chocolates and mashed potatoes. :/ All that work was wasted.

5. What has worked as far as diets for you?Cutting my intake in half. I haven't really tried any other diets, though I do have the Fat Smash Diet book. I have decided that I will give it a shot in January.

6. How old are you?22

7. Have any good recipes?Not really.

8. What are you hoping to get out of this community?Support, information, guidance.

9. Do you want to add something?This is me from June of this year. I know I don't look too happy but I hate clingy shirts and that one was definitely hugging me. I want to slim down, mostly, not get skinny. I want to keep my curves, and I know my boobs may shrink some, but I hope they perk up some. *Btw, the bad hair is due to the fact that it was a retro party and I was going for frizzy 90s hair*

1. What is your current weight? 275lbs.2. How much are you wanting to lose and by when? My overall goal weight is 108lbs, but being 120lbs.-140lbs. would be great too.3. How long have you been overweight? I starting gaining weight in fourth grade, so for 5-6 years.4. What kind of methods of weight loss have you tried? Everything you can possibly think of.5. What has worked as far as diets for you? Restricting calories, fasting, no junk food, the morning banana diet, no soda, etc.6. How old are you? 14.7. Have any good recipes? No.8. What are you hoping to get out of this community? Support and accountability.9. Do you want to add something? My highest weight was 291lbs, two months ago. I am 5'9" and am in 9th grade. Sorry that it is really blurry, but this is me: 10. What is your Livejournal name? Helenah, my real name is Helena.

1. What is your current weight?I haven't weighed myself lately, but I'm going to guess around 265. I know I'm not 300+, but one of my greatest fears is hitting that mark and I'm sort of rocketing towards it, and something has to be done. My closest OA meeting spot is a ridiculous drive away and I can't afford the gas.

2. How much are you wanting to lose and by when?My goal weight is 160. My dream weight is probably 140. I'd like to lose weight before it's not socially acceptable for me to wear wacky colors and clothes anymore (I'm 25). I'm also engaged, and I'd like to not be a fat bride.

3. How long have you been overweight?I've been overweight a long time, but I didn't get to be obese until I graduated high school (I actually tested out early in the year) and, because of a lot of shitty stuff going on, sank into an incredibly deep depression (which I never really came out of completely). It was a combination of the medication they put on and the abuse and hopelessness that I was going through that caused me to begin a relationship with food. It didn't help that a few years later I went through a "starving" period where I literally wasn't sure if I'd have enough money to eat the next day, and got into the bad habit of eating once a day and then later, eating whatever I could, whenever, because I might not get the chance again.

4. What kind of methods of weight loss have you tried?I've tried eating right, exercising, going vegetarian, going 'flexitarian,' walking more, eating less, counting calories... all of them worked until I slipped into a deeper depression again and started eating when I was bored.

5. What has worked as far as diets for you?I got some Ritalin off of a drug-addict friend once, and it gave me more pep and energy and motivation to get things done than I ever have had probably in my entire life. As a perpetually depressed, low-key person, it's really tempting to go out and try to find another source. I'm pretty broke though, I doubt I'd be able to afford it.

6. How old are you?Twenty five going on forty going on sixteen going on...

7. Have any good recipes?I can make a killer tofu stir fry, and I can also grill chicken and hamburgers, and make Eggs Deluxe, which are scrambled eggs with a whole lot of extra stuff in it. None of those come with recipes, though-- my mom taught me the traditional way to make stir fry and I also added my own flair (and laziness).

8. What are you hoping to get out of this community?Support, I guess, and someone to vent to and complain at when things get hard. My life has been really rough lately, and I need to go and find something else to do besides eat away my sorrows.

9. Do you want to add something?This is ol' mohawked me.If I manage to lose my weight, I want to get some gnarly tattoos.

I just joined this group not too long ago, and I finally have the time to sit down and introduce myself. Since I'm kind of brain dead at the moment, due to a day's work, I'm going to take the easy way out and just do the introductory questions for now (heh heh).

Before I go on, I just want to say it's always refreshing to find groups on Livejournal that are actually focused on the struggles and lifestyles of larger people, and not just for posting provocative photos while others ogle. How many communities like that do we need anyway?

1. What is your current weight?Right now I weigh approximately 350 pounds.

2. How much are you wanting to lose and by when?I don't really have a goal set. Right now I'm focusing on lifestyle changes, and it's going really well. I recently found out that my cholesterol levels are perfect, and my triglyceride levels are superb. On the inside, I am perfectly healthy (to my and my doctor's knowledge), but on the outside I don't look healthy. I live a rather sedentary lifestyle, and I am working on changing that. I think setting a goal for losing a certain amount of weight within a specific time frame just leads to disappointment. Speaking for myself, I believe that making positive lifestyle changes is what's important, and as a result, weight loss will naturally follow.

3. How long have you been overweight?All my life. I think the only time I was at the recommended weight for my age was when I was a toddler, lol.

4. What kind of methods of weight loss have you tried?I tried a low-carb diet for a while, and I just couldn't do it. I've read about the Mediterranean diet, and it appeals to me greatly. I'm eating enough carbs now, but a good chunk of those carbs are fiber. My lifestyle, aside from the inactivity, is actually quite healthy. I'm sure if I were to become more active, and... um... maybe just incorporate a little portion control, weight loss would be no problem.

5. What has worked as far as diets for you?A couple years ago, I had borderline cholesterol and developing insulin resistance. I used to eat unhealthy foods and I was even MORE inactive than I am right now. Since then, I've been able to correct my cholesterol and insulin. I didn't even realize it... I just wanted to eat better, that was all. That supports my belief in the importance of lifestyle changes, rather than paying attention to the numbers on the scale. Also, I think the numbers on blood test results are a LOT more important than weight. What's the point in weighing 130 when one's cholesterol is 190?

6. How old are you?23

7. Have any good recipes?Too many. I collect a lot of vegetarian recipes, but I always end up putting meat in them. I really enjoy baking, especially whole grain baking. As for my favorite food, I looooove middle eastern cuisine.

8. What are you hoping to get out of this community?Nothing specific. It's just comforting to interact with people going through struggles that are similar to mine.

9. Do you want to add something?I work in a library and live with my boyfriend in a modest apartment in Lansing, Michigan. I can't really think of what else to add at the moment, but I am pretty much an open book.

Well, I talked to my therapist, Angie, today about weight issues and my lack of motivation of actually getting the right midset to get this started. She encouraged me to start with a small change such as not driving around to find the closest parking spot, but to park a ways away and walk more. I would love to give up my soda but am just not at that point yet. My good friend gave up coffee starting last week and when she weighed this week, she had lost 7 pounds. She says cutting out that extra creamer and sugar was amazing, but cutting out the coffee has been horrible. She also said that she only worked out once. I would love to shed that kind of pounds at one time. That might just get me going?!I also met with my support worker today and we talked about getting to the Y at least twice a week to swim. I think that sounds great to me. When I start back to college in January, I am going to check out the leisure and fitness classes. I am at the Wellness and Rec Center anyways during the week because of classes, I might as well be there to take up some exercise. I know that they have a water aerobics class. I want to sign up for that. I checked online at the website to see if they made up the schedule yet as I have already registered for classes, but they haven't gotten the new one up yet.I am excited about starting classes again. At least I will get some walking in everyday. That is a plus for me. I just have to get some of this weight off. My knees are killing me. Doesn't do much for my feet either for that matter. An endless cycle, it seems.The only thing I really dislike about the holiday season is all the food and goodies. I hate having all that stuff around me at the get togethers. Anyone have any suggestions how to deal with this kind of stuff?

Gosh...I am so not dedicated to this eating plan that I am trying to be on. I don't know exactly what my problem is, my want to must not have hit my need to yet. This week I go in to see the rheumy doc along with having another iron infusion. You would think that kind of stuff would just smack me in the face. What in the hell is wrong with me? Lack of self-confidence or something. I need a buddy or something. Someone to be accountable to. I hate this time of year when it comes to food. I love to bake for the holidays and part of me doesn't want to because of all the goodies and that. But I do, cuz I want to give it to my neighbors and family too. ugh.Why is this so hard?

I just joined this community so I thought I'd post an introduction. :)

Here are my answers to the questions on the info page:

1. What is your current weight?319, this is the highest I have been ever

2. How much are you wanting to lose and by when?my goal weight is 150. I have no clue how long it will take me or how much to lose a week. but that is where I want to end up.

3. How long have you been overweight?My whole life!

4. What kind of methods of weight loss have you tried?Everything and then some. pills, bulimia, herbalife, ww...and on and on

5. What has worked as far as diets for you?Nothing really. I have done fasts that I lost some pounds but gained them right back again.

6. How old are you?40

7. Have any good recipes?not many

8. What are you hoping to get out of this community?I am hoping to find some good support and also that I want to track my thinking and progress as this journey continues.9. Do you want to add something?just a single mom of a 7 year old...so yeah. busy. also will be returning to college in January. I need some energy. I have lupus and some blood problems at the moment. Having iron infusions every week. Will see what happens next.

Hi all! I am not new here, I was an active member of this community a few years ago, but when I stopped losing weight so easily I gave up...on everything. I thought I would re-introduce myself here.

I made it up to 417.8lbs as of last September.

10 quick questions:------------------------------------1. What is your current weight? 319.82. How much are you wanting to lose and by when? I want to weigh 165 lbs.3. How long have you been overweight? All of my life, quite literally.4. What kind of methods of weight loss have you tried? You name it, I've done it.5. What has worked as far as diets for you? Low carb, but Weight Watchers is a better fit for me.6. How old are you? 277. Have any good recipes? Tons! One of the most recent:

Just a note, for a little kick here you can add some hot sauce or ground red pepper. I add a little sriracha!

8. What are you hoping to get out of this community? Another anchor to my goal, and I really want people to see it can totally be done, and that everyone screws up, but as long as you keep at it and never give up you will make it.9. Do you want to add something? you can follow my blog here: http://scarletsimple.blogspot.com/10. What is your Livejournal name? Lyss

I will try and post here every Sunday with my weigh ins, but I update the blogger blog every day. :)